Neighbours oppose Kam Lake camp
Clark Builders wants to house as many as 250 workers on lot next to new neighbourhood
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Opposition is mounting toward a proposed work camp to be located in a huge gravel lot adjacent to one of Yellowknife's newest neighborhoods on the shore of Kam Lake.
Samantha Hicks stands on her deck at her home on Hall Crescent overlooking a lot where there is a proposal to construct a temporary camp for 250 workers. Hicks says she has concerns about noise but also does not like the way neighbours have been given short notice about the proposal. The camp would house workers building the new Stanton Territorial Hospital. - John McFadden/NNSL photo |
The camp has been proposed by Clark Builders as temporary housing for as many as 250 workers coming to the city to construct the new Stanton Territorial Hospital. The camp could be in operation by late summer if approved.
Many residents who live on nearby Hall Crescent are opposed to the plan, saying they are concerned with the potential for noise and the aesthetics of having a work camp adjacent to their new subdivision. As many as 83 of them have signed a petition stating their opposition to the work camp.
Currently, city rules only allow for up to eight temporary dwellings on lots in the Kam Lake industrial zone where the proposed camp is located.
Jacqueline Rocher, who sells homes in the neighbourhood for Coldwell Banker, said she does not approve of the way the proposal came about.
"We only just found out about it. All of a sudden, there was a meeting to change to the (zoning) bylaw to allow more than eight temporary dwellings and it was quite cheeky. It was very quick," said Rocher.
"I can tell you that the feedback from the neighbours was very, very strongly against having a work camp for out-of-town men next door to their homes. We've got 47 children in the neighbourhood now and many of our upcoming buyers have children."
Samantha Hicks moved into a home on Hall Crescent last December and she is concerned about having a work camp that will be virtually in her front yard for as long as two years.
"It's going to be a lot more noise instead of being relaxing. Traffic is also an issue and what is it going to be afterwards?" Hicks wondered.
"We should have had more time to think about it reasonably and discuss the problems that may arise."
Several people both opposed to the work camp proposal and supporters of it turned out for yesterday's municipal services committee meeting at city hall.
Some opponents said they first received word of it when a notice was put on their doors on Friday. George Farrell lives on Hall Crescent and was among those telling city council yesterday that he thinks it is a bad idea.
"I know from a lot of people who have actually been in camps ... (there are) fights and drinking and drugs. To have my family there and my neighbours and their kids - it just doesn't make any sense," said Farrell. "There has to be somewhere else to put this."
Dave Brothers, vice-president of Clark Builders, the contractor building the hospital, said residents have nothing to worry about.
"We realized when we were pursuing this project that there wasn't enough accommodations in town to house as many people as we need - up to 250," said Brothers.
"It's a temporary accommodation. It's going to be there for two years maximum so it's not going to be there for 10 or 20 years. We need this to be able to build a building of this capacity. There is no way to get that many people to live and work if we don't have accommodations for them. There are not enough accommodations in town to fulfill our needs."
Brothers said the work camp will make things much easier logistically in terms of getting workers to and from the new Stanton site. He said the units are brand new and not run down. He added that the workers living in them will be here to work, not party.
"None of that stuff will be allowed. It's a camp atmosphere. It's a dry camp and there will be people on site to monitor this and manage the camp," he said.
Brothers added other workers will be housed in hotels and apartments but there are just too many of them for the city to accommodate with the existing facilities. He said workers will be bused to and from the work site so traffic will not be an issue.
The lot where the camp would be located is owned by Joe Leonardis. He owns JSL Mechanical, located in the building that faces the lot. He said he has been in discussion with Clark Builders about the idea since January.
"There was one here years ago back in the '80s and this is a proper way to do it rather than stressing out all the hotels and rooms in town," he said.
If the idea is approved, Leonardis will lease his lot to Clark Builders.
Several councillors wanted to know why proposal is coming to light just now - month's after the contract's approval in September.
Mayor Mark Heyck was quick to point out nothing is set in stone as of yet.
He said a public hearing will be held June 13 before any decisions are made on whether to change the bylaw to allow the work camp to proceed.
